ODU women: Picturing the 2012-13 Lady Monarchs and more

Old Dominion assistant coach Amaka Agugua said the Lady Monarchs don’t intend to redshirt incoming freshman Brittany Martin, despite the fact that she’s quite raw.

She said Martin needs to put on muscle, but is a post presence that can alter shots, something that the Lady Monarchs lacked last year.

Tia Lewis was more of a finesse power forward, and Shakeva Richards and Mairi Buchan lacked the jumping ability to significantly alter shots.

Martin is part of an obviously light frontcourt that will include Shakeva Richards and Mairi Buchan. Shae Kelley might be at her best at the small forward position, but it seems likely she’ll be asked to play a significant amount of power forward.

Most of the CAA’s top post players have departed, although Shante Evans will be difficult for ODU to deal with given their lack of post depth. Elena Delle Donne will be a harder match-up without Lewis' combination of length and speed, although she would be for anyone, and James Madison’s height could pose significant problems to a smaller ODU team.

Head coach Karen Barefoot said she hopes Old Dominion’s up-tempo style of play will make up for the lack of size, and the absence in a lot of lineups of a traditional power forward. That means a lot of running and movement on offense, and a lot of pressure on defense.

“Yes, she can play inside and outside,” Barefoot said of Kelley. “Yes, she’s a team player. She is going to wow the fans. One thing we’ve been missing is someone who will be unselfish and find the other pieces. She knows what it takes to win. I think how we’re going to play, the 3 and 4 are very similar. We’ll tweak our system to that.”

The Lady Monarchs recently finished their offseason conditioning program and, while Barefoot said the entire group impressed her, the biggest difference occurred in Jackie Cook. Barefoot said Cook, a small forward, has lost 15 pounds from last season.

“You won’t believe it,” Barefoot said. “It’s truly amazing. She’s lost 15 pounds. She looks lean and feels good and she’s playing better than ever.”

Barefoot said Myeisha Hall dropped 3 percent of her body fat and is significantly quicker. Hall didn’t seem to be lacking in the speed department last year, even when she was heavier, so it will be interesting to see how much quickness she could have added.

Barefoot said the team is running together often and playing much more pick-up basketball than last season.

She believes having her first full off-season with the team will make a significant impact next year, when it’s reasonable to think Old Dominion can finish as high as third in the CAA (I’d consider Delaware and James Madison to be heavy favorites, with the rest of the conference open).

“We went to finishing school,” Barefoot said. “We had to learn how to finish around rim, score layups and in paint while getting contact and finishing. I didn’t get a chance to do that last year. Expectations and sit down meetings didn’t happen until preseason. Now, I think everyone has a vision of what I want.”

If I had to guess at a starting lineup to open the season, it would be Ashley Betz-White, Myeisha Hall, Shae Kelley, Jackie Cook and Mairi Buchan, with Galaisha Goodhope, LaQuanda Younger and Shakeva Richards rounding out an eight-player rotation and getting most of the playing time.

By midseason, I’d expect ODU’s best lineup to be Michelle Brandao, Stephanie Gardner, Jackie Cook, Shae Kelley and Mairi Buchan, with Betz-White, Goodhope, Hall, Younger and Richards making a 10-player rotation that depends on matchups and needs. Barefoot could also go the conservative route and not give the mid-season players starting jobs immediately, but I think they’ll force their way into the lineup sooner or later.

Depending on how college-ready Younger is, you can substitute Tiffany Minor in on both lists. I suspect she, Queen Tiye Jackson, Martin and Becca Allison will be the three struggling for playing time. Martin and Jackson will probably see some time when ODU plays particularly big teams, or when its interior players get into foul trouble.

Tia Lewis earned an invitation to the Washington Mystics training camp, which begins this weekend. Lewis will become the first – and probably only – Lady Monarch to be coached by Wendy Larry, Karen Barefoot and Marianne Stanley. Stanley is an assistant with the Mystics. There's a neat little trivia question for you.

ODU women: Lady Monarchs land two signees

The Old Dominion women's basketball team signed a pair of players today. One, who you know about, is Shae Kelley, who initially signed with Colorado, then left amid a coaching change and played last season for Northwest Florida State College. I'd expect her to step into ODU's lineup immediately, potentially playing a lanky small forward or an undersized power forward. She will make an immediate impact.

The second signee is Brittany Martin, a 6-foot-3 post player. From a quick internet search it appears that Martin played for Bishop Ford High School in NY and played AAU basketball with the Exodus program. Information about her isn't as easy to find as Kelley, so I suspect she comes in as more of a project, but given her size and ODU's lack of post power, she might be forced to play quickly.

I will have more information coming as I find it both here, and in tomorrow's Pilot. 

ODU women: Cynthia Cooper-Dyke leaving CAA

After lifting North Carolina-Wilmington into the top half of the CAA in her first two seasons, UNCW coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke is resigning and heading to Texas Southern. Click www.uncwsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml for the link.

Cooper-Dyke has drawn attention throughout her career as a head coach committing NCAA violations in her first stop, having an assistant coach punish a player with log rolls (alledgedly unknown to Cooper-Dyke) until she got sick during her first season, and then pulling the scholarships from seniors before her second year at UNCW.

Given that, it's hard not to wonder if there's anything going on in the background here. The SWAC is certainly not as good a league as the CAA and it's hard to imagine the pay is better.

In any case, it's probably good news for Old Dominion and the rest of the league. Cooper-Dyke certainly knows her basketball and had nearly her entire team returning after advancing to the CAA semifinals. 

 

ODU women: An early look at 2012-13

After Old Dominion lost its CAA quarterfinal against Delaware, junior Jackie Cook said she intends to win a CAA championship before she leaves school next year.

If Cook were a professional athlete, she’d probably end up eating her words. They’d be repeated back to her all year, particularly if ODU fails to win a conference crown for the fifth straight season in 2012. College kids, though, are often put on the spot at press conferences, sitting uncomfortably on a podium and staring out at the world. Sometimes they say what they believe, without actually thinking. Sometimes, they say what they think they’re supposed to say, even if they know it isn’t true. This will be the only time I mention Cook's bold prediction.

I hate press conferences with college athletes with a passion. They happen more often in women’s sports, since there isn’t an open locker room, but they’re stiff and uncomfortable and the athletes rarely let you see their true personalities or thoughts. Put a spotlight on anyone and they stop being themselves and stop being as truthful as you'd like. When you're on stage, you don't have time to stop and think about an appropriate answer.

If Cook thinks ODU is going to win the CAA next season, good for her. She’s a competitor, and thinking otherwise would probably be frowned upon. But given how I see the conference breaking down, and my list of the top 15 returning players, it’s going to be a tough road for the Lady Monarchs in 2012, and it’s going to be tough for Cook to live up to her words. Delaware returns most of a team that went into the second round of the NCAA Tournament. James Madison returns most of the key pieces from a group that is currently making a long run in the WNIT.

Obviously this list will most likely change based on transfers, players choosing not to return and coaches chasing new jobs. But here’s a very early list at how I see the CAA breaking down next season and who I see as its top players.

You won’t find any ODU players on the list, but Cook and Ashley Betz-White were both probably in the next group and would have found a way onto my All-CAA Fourth Team. From the sound of it, junior college forward Shae Kelley is probably as good a bet to make the final list as they are, and Michelle Brandao would be picked on one of the teams if she was eligible at the start of the year.

Here are my very early CAA predicted order of finish and All-CAA teams.

Projected finish

1. Delaware – Elena Delle Donne says she’s coming back. Until she decides otherwise, pick against the Blue Hens at your own peril. Delaware also doesn’t graduate a single starter and has to replace just 8 points from this season.

2. James Madison – The Dukes return their three leading scorers and the Defensive Player of the Year. The only issue will be replacing Lauren Whitehurst, who gives JMU an inside presence and is second on the team in rebounds. Having Nikki Newman will help. She's a rebounding force.

3. UNC-Wilmington – Cynthia Cooper-Dyke took away the scholarships from some returning players last year. While it hurt some feelings, and is generally frowned upon in coaching circles, it leaves the Seahawks in great shape for next season. After a second consecutive semifinal appearance, UNCW loses one senior who averaged 1.6 points.

4. Hofstra – The Pride will return the best post player in the CAA in Shante Evans and a good perimiter player in Katelyn Loper, but will lose a pair of talented guards, particularly point guard Candice Bellocchio. Young guards are easier to break in than young post players, as ODU learned this season. If you’re a really, really, optimistic ODU fan, this is where I think you can start hoping to see the Lady Monarchs landing next year. I won’t pick it, but I see it as possible.

5. Northeastern – Similar to Hofstra, the Huskies lose the two guards that run their offense. Deanna Kerkhoff will be one of the CAA’s top returning shooters, while Jewel Tunstall will be one of its best interior finishers.

6. Old Dominion – The big question for the Lady Monarchs will be how they gel once Michelle Brandao and Stephanie Gardner finally see the court. Can they win games while developing chemistry at the same times? The Lady Monarchs only graduate Tia Lewis. Their lack of a proven inside presence keeps them behind Hofstra and Northeastern.

7. Drexel – Hollie Mershon is a very impressive and proven player. Denise Dillon is an equally impressive and proven coach. The Dragons lose three starters and have to replace more than half their points, but I was still tempted to pick them over ODU.

8. George Mason – Taleia Moton was probably the only player in the CAA more important to her team than Lewis or Delle Donne. I think ODU’s additions boost the Lady Monarchs ahead of the Patriots.

9. VCU – The Rams lose their two leading scorers and rebounders and a pair of All-CAA players. The weird thing is the pairing of Courtney Hurt and Andrea Barbour couldn’t pull VCU higher this season. That doesn’t bode well for next year.

10. William & Mary – The Tribe lose only two players and return lots of talent. They had lots of returning talent this season too. Lot of good it did them.

11. Georgia State – Very similar to ODU in that the only departure is Chan Harris, the Panthers’ leading scorer and rebounder. Harris and Lewis do similar things for their teams, but Georgia State starts from much further back.

12. Towson – Five seniors are graduating. All of them were among the Tigers’ top seven scorers this year. Joe Mathews will have to do a tremendous coaching job to have the Tigers competitive.

 

Projected 2012-13 All-CAA

First Team

F – Elena Delle Donne, Delaware, 27.5 pts, 10.3 rebs

F – Shante Evans, Hofstra, 19 pts, 10.4 rebs

G – Tarik Hislop, James Madison, 14.7 pts, 3.6 ast

G – Hollie Mershon, Drexel, 14.8 pts, 3.4 ast.

G – Alisha Andrews, UNCW, 10.2 PTS, 4.7 ast.

Second Team

F – Nikki Newman, JMU, 5.3 pts, 7.7 rebs

F – Jewel Tunstal, Northeastern, 13 pts, 6.9 rebs

F – Amber Easter, George Mason, 12 pts, 7 rebs

G – Kirby Burkholder, JMU, 10.5 pts, 6.9 rebs

G – Deanna Kerkhof, Northeastern, 13 pts, 6.9 rebs

Third Team

F – Abria Trice, UNCW , 10.2 pts, 46.3 fg pct.

F – Karneshia Garrett, UNCW, 9.6 pts, 7.5 rebs

F – Emily Correal, William & Mary, 13.2 pts, 8.6 rebs

G – Katelyn Loper, Hofstra, 12.6 pts, 4.1 rebs

G – Lauren Carra, Delaware, 10.3 pts, 4.0 rebs  

ODU women: Waiting will have to do for ODU faithful

We hate to wait. We want fast food and fast cars, fast answers and fast fixes.

But there's no quick solution for the Old Dominion women's basketball team, and it's way too soon to judge the Lady Monarchs' first-year head coach.

We're going to have to wait. One year is too soon. Next year won't be much better. Three or four years might be enough time for Karen Barefoot to find her stride.

Barefoot, who replaced icon Wendy Larry in June, had a mixed bag of a first season, one that showcased her strengths and her weaknesses.

She was far from perfect and just as far from terrible.

ODU played Barefoot's up-tempo pressing style with one of the least athletic rosters in the Colonial Athletic Association. The group was ill-suited for that game; guard JoNiquia Guilford and small forward Jackie Cook were two of the conference's slowest players at their positions.

Guilford was a small forward last year. Cook operated in the post. Both are big for their positions, not sleek and athletic.

Only senior center Tia Lewis and ODU's quick, but error-prone freshmen were built for transition basketball.

It's a fact Barefoot never admitted, and Lady Monarchs fans had to occasionally roll their eyes at her relentless positivity.

On bad nights for the Lady Monarchs, the steady stream of spin seemed insulting to intelligent fans. On the worst nights, it made it seem like Barefoot might not comprehend basketball basics, or that somehow a pit of sand appeared near the bench for the coach to dip her head into.

ODU fans are discerning enough to know good women's basketball, and they weren't treated to much of it this season. Sometimes a spade really is a spade, even if the spade is trying really hard.

But with one of the worst teams in program history on the floor, one already dealing with lopsided defeats, a coaching change and a pedigree to live up to, beating down her players would have been an even bigger mistake.

Barefoot did not turn a second-place CAA team into an eighth-place one. The Lady Monarchs were already headed for their worst CAA season ever, no matter who was coaching.

At most schools, bad teams are simply unwatched, left to wallow through poor performances unseen but also uncriticized. Not at ODU, where Larry's 17 straight CAA championships made titles a birthright rather than a reward.

Every Lady Monarchs mistake was met with groans from a fan base that, while dwindling, still ranked second in the CAA in home attendance in a dismal season.

The Lady Monarchs could have cashed out halfway through, but Barefoot's encouraging approach sustained their passion. They played better against some of the league's top teams, and Barefoot never lost control of the group, which showed energy, excitement and commitment during its final practices.

Even last week, players kept coaches in the gym after their regularly scheduled session to work on individual drills, a rarity last season.

"I've enjoyed being on a team that likes being in the gym every day," Lewis said. "It's been very different."

The Lady Monarchs progressed, particularly freshmen Ashley Betz-White and Myeisha Hall, two of the program's building blocks.

Barefoot has already upgraded ODU's talent base, landing guards Michelle Brandao from Portugal and transfer Stephanie Gardner from the University of Miami. Neither can play until the second semester next season, but they routinely lead the reserves to wins over the starters in practice.

The new coach has also made modest gains in recruiting, landing Galaisha Goodhope, a player from local power Princess Anne, and LaQuanda Younger, a skilled shooter from Newport News. The most recent addition came Saturday, when Shae Kelley, a top junior college player who initially signed with Colorado, verbally committed to the Lady Monarchs.

But this year's freshman class was considered a good one, too, and even Betz-White and Hall were suited to be supplemental players, not stars, in their rookie seasons. Without Lewis, next year could be worse.

ODU is still years away from putting Barefoot's best team on the floor.

That leaves the Lady Monarchs waiting, and hoping that the watching won't be quite so hard.

ODU women: Former Colorado Player of the Year will reportedly transfer to Monarchs

Bret McCormick, of All-Star Girls Report, Tweeted yesterday that Old Dominion has received a verbal commitment from Shae Kelley, a 6-foot power forward from Northwest Florida State College.

Kelley, a former State Player of the Year in Colorado, initially committed to Colorado University when ODU assistant Tom McConnell was working there. McConnell’s sister was let go before Kelley’s freshman year and he never got to coach her. She cited personal reasons for leaving.

She averaged 13.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game for and was named the Panhandle Conference’s Freshman of the Year this season after sitting out the 2011 season as a redshirt. She was also named First Team All-Conference. I'm unclear at the moment whether she'll have two or three years of eligibility at ODU. She's listed as a freshman at Northwest Florida, but she played in an exhibition game for Colorado during her freshman year, which she went on to redshirt. I'd presume it's three years of eligibility but will double-check.

Kelley certainly seems like the leading candidate to join Mairi Buchan and Shakeva Richards as part of ODU’s post trio and help replace the production of departed star Tia Lewis.

Kelley was considered the country’s 59th best wing player coming out of high school in 2010 and rated an 83 out of 100 by ESPN.

She was a somewhat controversial figure in the Colorado high schools circles during her high school years due to a series of three  transfers and a short suspension, as detailed in her Player of the Year story in The Denver Post www.denverpost.com/recommended/ci_14852588.

The key for the Lady Monarchs, of course, is they’re getting a player with BCS level athleticism who should be ready to replace some of Lewis’ production immediately.

UNC-Wilmington junior Karneshia Garrett posted similar numbers in the same conference last year, averaging 11.7 points and 8.5 rebounds for Pensacola Junior College.

Those numbers took just a slight dip in the CAA, where Garrett was UNCW’s second-leading scorer, averaging 10 points and 7.7 rebounds. Garrett was not as nearly as highly-regarded in high school as Kelley. She was rated a 40 by ESPN. 

ODU women: Post-Towson, pre-Delaware notes

Old Dominion has nothing official on Becca Allison's injury. She wasn't able to squeeze in testing before the team travelled to Upper Marlboro, Md. All the signs, though, are consistent with a stress fracture.

My favorite sight at the Towson game? Walk-on Brianca Washington pulling up twice with an open court in front of her to kill time off the clock rather than take a layup and put her name in the scorebook. Team player. She deserved that moment of glory she got earlier this year. All walk-ons are team players, but Washington goes above and beyond.

Attendance on the first day at the Show Place Arena was 1,550 fans. Not an impressive number, but the Delaware faithful are going to improve that significantly on Day Two. The CAA's contract with the Upper Marlboro location is up after this season and the league's athletic directors will make a decision on returning in the weeks following the season. All indications are that the most important thing to the CAA is to maintain a neutral court setting, making a return a natural fit.

Old Dominion used a zone to stop Towson for the second consecutive game. It will be interesting to see how much the zone fits into ODU's plans once Karen Barefoot brings in her type of players. Wendy Larry hated it, and it generally does not go hand-in-hand with the pressure defense that Barefoot prefers. But it worked, especially against a Towson team that struggles shooting.

Forward Tia Lewis and coach Karen Barefoot played off Lewis' CAA snub as if it wasn't a big deal. I've heard the reaction from the ODU table during the awards night was much less positive.

No surprises on the first day, though all the games were competive through the first half. I think things will go straight chalk again today, but I'm holding out hope for my VCU pick. I still think the Rams have the best shot at an upset.

ODU women: Allison out for Towson, my CAA picks

Old Dominion will be without guard Becca Allison against Towson. No word on the injury yet, but she’s wearing the dreaded boot on her right foot. Got to think that’s it for the season, even if ODU continues on.

Don't want to speculate-- OK, that's not true, I'm in the media, right? -- but given that ODU doesn't know how it happened, it could be another one of those stress fractures that the Lady Monarchs have struggled with. I'll have an update post-game.

Also, here are some CAA Tournament predictions so that I can disgrace myself and we can all have a good laugh. The worst part is how much chalk I’ve got on my hands after rolling with all the favorites.

First round

Towson vs. ODU – Really, it’s a toss-up game. 50-50. Flip a coin. I was all set to pick the Tigers, assuming ODU would make the typical young team mistake and overlook their opponents after beating them the previous game. Then Tia Lewis didn’t make First-Team All-CAA. Lewis is a very prideful player and she's taken slights very personally in the past, including some from this guy. She’ll come out flying, and for that reason alone, I’m going with ODU. I also liked the way the Lady Monarchs practiced this week. Still, the Lady Monarchs are the team most likely to get upset in the first round and the 8 vs. 9 game is always close.

George Mason vs. Northeastern – Another possible upset, especially given how well the Huskies have played lately. Still, I think Taleia Moton’s ability to get into the lane helps the Patriots win this one. The Huskies like to play zone, and Moton can get into the gaps and make life difficult, or shoot the Huskies out of the zone if she has to. If she’s off, though, the Huskies are going to win this game. I wish I had more guts.

UNC-Wilmington vs. Georgia State – Cynthia Cooper would probably need to leave in an ambulance if the Seahawks found a way to lose this one. She’d have a heart attack. And she’s in good shape. So it's not going to happen.

VCU vs. William & Mary – The Rams can be shaky, but the Tribe seem like they packed it in for the season a long time ago. Courtney Hurt, meanwhile, never packs it in. The Rams move on, tempting me to pick them in the process. I just can't quit VCU.

Quarterfinals ODU vs. Delaware – The Lady Monarchs season comes to an end at the hands of Elena Delle Donne, just like it did last year in the quarterfinals. She’s too good to go down to ODU.

James Madison vs. George Mason – With all the defenders on the Dukes this season, they won’t have the same trouble with Moton that Northeastern did. James Madison moves on.

VCU vs. Drexel – I need to pick an upset at some point. I’m bored. And I’ve gone with the Rams all year, much to my dismay. Might as well finish the season riding them as well. Courtney Hurt and Andrea Barbour are effective in the half-court setting, negating Drexel’s slow-down game. I do have some questions about whether VCU will defend the full 35 seconds over the course of the whole game. Still, stars show up in the postseason. I think Courtney Hurt and Andrea Barbrour qualify.

UNC-Wilmington vs. Hofstra – I really don’t like the way the Pride are playing. I really don’t like picking a team that doesn’t play defense in the postseason. But I really don’t see a way that the Seahawks can keep up with all that firepower.

Semifinals James Madison vs. VCU – The Dukes won’t be intimidated by Courtney Hurt’s toughness, and they also need this win to make a case for an at-large berth. Kenny Brooks’ bunch gets it done.

Delaware vs. Hofstra – Up-and-down doesn’t work when your opponent is better than you are. Elena Delle Donne lights it up in front of everyone, including The New York Times, which has a credentialed reporter here. Hope they show up for this game and not just the finals. Delle Donne is going to put on a show.

Finals

Delaware vs. James Madison  -- The Dukes, other than perhaps Drexel, are the best-equipped team to give Delaware a run for its money, but there’s no stopping the Delle Donne tour de force. I remember her running through this tournament as a one-woman wrecking crew last season. She's even better now.

ODU women: Buchan and Richards are healthy; Allison is not

The Old Dominion women’s basketball team will have post players Mairi Buchan and Shakeva Richards, but will likely be without guard Becca Allison when the CAA Women’s Basketball Tournament begins on Wednesday.

Richards practiced on Sunday for the first time since suffering a concussion against James Madison, while head coach Karen Barefoot said Buchan could have practiced of she had to. Buchan didn’t, but she was just resting a sprained ankle, which she injured landing on a Towson player in ODU’s season finale. She walked around barefoot after receiving treatment, but appeared to be comfortable putting pressure on the ankle.

Allison, however, was scheduled for an X-Ray on Monday on an injured right foot. Barefoot said Allison woke up on Saturday and began feeling pain and having swelling in the foot. Allison hobbled out to the team huddle after practice, dangling her foot in the air and avoiding any pressure. The team could not pinpoint a moment in a game or practice when an injury could have occurred. The Lady Monarchs consider her day-to-day.

Forward Queen Tiye Jackson will also miss the Towson game. She has not returned from a concussion suffered nearly a month ago and sat out Sunday’s practice.

ODU women: My All-CAA picks

Below are my All-CAA picks. I think there's a chance that the CAA could bump Tia Lewis down to the second team and run with a more traditional lineup. Obviously, Elena Delle-Donne doesn’t play guard for Delaware, but she’s skilled enough that she could, so I cheated.

Delle Donne and Courtney Hurt are no-brainers at forward, while Shante Evans is also a forward and a Naismith Award Midseason list, putting her ahead of Lewis in most voters' eyes.

I had a very tough time deciding between Lewis, Evans and Hofstra’s Candice Bellochio but ultimately couldn’t stomach two first-team players from Hofstra, a team that tied for fourth. So I cheated. If it's any consolation to Bellocchio, she was the player I had the most fun watching this season. We'll see what the CAA will do.

What do you think?

Player of the Year – Elene Delle Donne, Delaware, Jr. F

Defensive Player of the Year – Nikki Newman, James Madison, Jr. F

Rookie of the Year – Ashley Betz-White, ODU

Coach of the Year – Tina Martin, Delaware

All-CAA Teams

First Team

F – Courtney Hurt, VCU

F – Tia Lewis, ODU

F – Shante Evans, Hofstra

G – Elena Delle Donne, Delaware

G – Taleia Moten, George Mason,

Second Team

F – Kamile Nacickate, Drexel

F -- Nikki Newman, JMU

G – Tarik Hislop, JMU

G – Andrea Barbour, VCU

G – Candice Bellocchio, Hofstra

Third Team

F – Jewel Tunstall, Northeastern

F – Lauren Whitehurst, JMU

G – Deanna Kerkhof, Northeastern

G – Lauren Carra, Delaware

G – Hollie Mershon, Drexel

All-Rookie Team

G – Ashley Betz-White, ODU

G – Myeisha Hall, ODU

G – Christina Carter, VCU

F – Alana Beroth, Georgia State

F -- Toia Giggetts, JMU